Financial Center News #121

🎙️ Our September Newsletter is out 📰

Exclusive Interview This edition features an inspiring conversation with Mark Freed, Managing Director of Men for Inclusion - Driving lasting cultural transformation, on how companies can move from diversity policies to genuine inclusion. His perspective underlines why inclusive cultures drive innovation, performance, and long-term growth.

💡 Opinion We also share the views of Thomas Krantz, who warns against the rising risks of "fiscal dominance" and highlights why central bank independence remains critical to preserving monetary stability in today's uncertain environment.

🤝 Masterclass with Men for Inclusion - Driving lasting cultural transformation On October 21, we are hosting a Masterclass with Men for Inclusion, offering executives, HR leaders, and professionals practical strategies to foster inclusion in their organizations.

🌐 Member Highlights From Sibos 2025 discussions on fighting financial crime, to Jersey Finance's NextGen initiatives, TheCityUK's work on carbon markets, and EnterpriseNGR's leadership in Africa, our members continue to push boundaries worldwide.

📲 Read the full newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e-jWihp5

🤝 The World Alliance, in partnership with Men for Inclusion - Driving lasting cultural transformation, is organizing a unique Masterclass with Mark Freed on October 21st.

💡 This session will explore why inclusion is more than diversity, it's about ensuring every voice is heard and empowered. As Mark Freed reminds us: "The real value emerges when talent is listened to and supported."

🚀 Why? ✔️ Practical tools to foster workplace inclusion ✔️ Inspiring case studies and examples ✔️ Insights on how men can become active allies ✔️ Clear business benefits: innovation, better decisions, stronger engagement, and long-term growth

👥 Designed for executives, HR leaders, and professionals committed to transformation, this Masterclass is a concrete step toward building a culture where inclusion drives performance.

📲More info: https://lnkd.in/eZcVjvBq

Ready to turn your business idea into reality? The gateway to setting up in ADGM just got smoother and smarter.

Discover what the Registration Authority can do for you.

Read more via https://lnkd.in/dDmQDHUp.

🎉We were pleased to welcome the Delegation of Ho Chi Minh City, led by Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, to the Astana International Financial Centre.

Vietnam is working on establishing an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and in this process, they are studying successful global models, including the AIFC. Earlier this year, our experts shared practical insights on governance, regulation, and financial infrastructure during a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.

During the visit to Astana, the delegation explored our ecosystem and learned how the AIFC experience can support Vietnam's plans. Today, three Vietnamese companies are already registered at the AIFC, operating in aviation investment, software development, and construction. We look forward to seeing this number grow in the future.

We look forward to continued cooperation and knowledge exchange.

#BFC CONNECT

BFC welcomed 40 Asia-Pacific trainees from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for an IR session held in the Busan International Finance Center — home to the FATF Training & Research Institute (TREIN). 🌏✨

The FATF, headquartered in Paris, sets global standards against money laundering and terrorist financing. Their Busan presence inside the BIFC building highlights the city's #credibility and growing status as a secure and innovative #global #financial #hub.

By engaging directly with emerging regulators, BFC reinforced Busan's role as a trusted partner in global financial integrity.

How can African companies unlock the capital they need to grow?

This question was at the heart of today's panel at the Casablanca Business Forum 2025, held by FT Live in partnership with Casablanca Finance City and with the support of the Région Casablanca - Settat.

Moderated by David Pilling (Financial Times), the conversation brought together Federico Bonaglia (OECD Development Centre), Rosa Cañadas (Talea/Trea Capital Partners), Abdelmajid Fassi Fihri (BNP Paribas), and Abi Mustapha-Maduakor, MEng, CA, MBA (African Private Capital Association).

From the impact of global interest rates to the rise of blended finance and impact-linked bonds, the panel explored innovative financing pathways to help African businesses scale across borders and seize new opportunities.

Join us at IPEM Paris for high-level dialogue on how transformative purpose driven capital is reshaping global investment frameworks from climate tech and digital infrastructure to healthcare and deep tech.

Moderated by Antoine Colson, CEO of IPEM, this breakout session explores where the capital is flowing and how regional hubs like #Dubai are influencing long-term strategies in a rapidly evolving world.

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eGUPFMMX

[ Mauritius Designated as Host Country for the Headquarters of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) ]

Mauritius has officially been selected as the primary jurisdiction to host the Headquarters of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

This follows the endorsement by the African Union during its 44th Ordinary Session in July 2024, of the establishment of AfCRA as an independent, private sector-led, and self-sustaining credit rating agency. AfCRA aims to deliver more balanced, context-sensitive, and accurate assessments of African economies—serving as both a complement and a credible alternative to existing global rating agencies.

🌐Learn more - https://lnkd.in/dyrBkaYv

When we add stability, trust, and unity to peace, the result is growth that benefits everyone.

🌏✨ Tomorrow marks the start of FinanceMalta's 2nd Mission to Japan 🇯🇵 as we continue to consolidate relationships between Malta and Japan in the areas of fintech, asset management, and fund management.

📍Our mission will take us to both Tokyo and Osaka, where we will further strengthen collaboration and open new opportunities between the two countries.

🤝 The delegation includes FinanceMalta members: Alter Domus BOV Fund Services Limited Bridge Advice Zerafa Advocates

We are also very pleased that the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has joined us, bringing in the important regulatory perspective.

This mission reflects our commitment to reinforcing Malta's visibility as a trusted and innovative financial centre in the Asian market.

89.01% Beneficiaries' Satisfaction by September 2025 ✨

A milestone that reflects our commitment to continuous service excellence and sustainable progress 🚀

One week to go – Sibos 2025 comes to the heart of Europe! ✈️🌍

In just seven days, Frankfurt will welcome the global financial community for Sibos 2025.

As Europe's leading financial centre and home to the ECB, the Bundesbank, more than 250 international financial institutions and the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority, Frankfurt stands for stability, innovation and global connectivity. We look forward to hosting all Sibos guests in our vibrant city.

Over the coming days, Frankfurt Main Finance will share updates on our activities and insights from the world's premier financial services event. Join us here as we count down to an exciting week of dialogue, innovation and collaboration.

The Digital Identity Specialization by Future Finance Poland unites banks, tech innovators, regulators, and legal experts to explore how digital identity can reshape financial services. One area with game-changing potential? Electronic Attribute Attestations (EAA).

We asked Michał Tabor, Partner and Board Member at Obserwatorium.biz: How can electronic attestations of attributes simplify business processes and improve efficiency for both customers and service providers?

"Electronic attestations of attributes can significantly simplify business processes and improve efficiency because many transactions depend on verified data. In financial services, this often includes information on creditworthiness, assets, residence, employment, or criminal records. Traditionally, such data had to be delivered in paper or ad-hoc electronic form and then manually verified by staff, which increased costs and carried the risk of human error. The root cause was the absence of standardised data formats that would allow automation."

By enabling trustworthy, standardized, and legally robust data exchange directly between customer and institution, EAAs reduce risks, minimize manual work, and bring automation into processes that were once slow and costly.

For customers – control and transparency. For service providers – efficiency and reliability. For the market – trust at scale.

Despite landing late in the evening and heading straight to the airport after meetings, the condensed nature of Shanghai's commercial district, much like Hong Kong's, allowed for five incredibly productive meetings from early morning to early afternoon.

The key takeaway? There is strong, palpable demand for updates on Hong Kong's offerings and policies, particularly in capital markets, wealth management, and digital assets. The appetite for connection and clarity is immense.

Beyond these discussions, the trip held a special highlight: reconnecting with a dear friend. Amy and I first met 12 years ago when she interviewed me for a story, and then a couple more. Since then, she has built another career with a Shanghai venture capital fund, started a family, and is thriving. It was a poignant lesson that while circumstances change, the foundation of genuine relationships remains. Treat people the way you want to be treated, and you build a network of not just contacts, but fond memories and lasting support.

A short trip packed with takeaways, and I am glad Hong Kong wasn't too adversely affected by Ragasa. On to the next projects!

Türkiye Wealth Fund's rise into the global top 10 with USD 360 billion in assets underlines Türkiye's long-term vision in finance. This success supports the mission of Istanbul Financial Center to be the meeting point for investors worldwide.

This is excellent news. The Double Taxation Agreement with Bahrain is another important addition to Jersey's extensive treaty network. Bahrain is a valued partner in the Gulf, and this agreement will further enhance opportunities for cooperation and growth in financial services, reinforcing Jersey's position as a trusted international finance centre in the Gulf region.

Our CEO, Hortense Mudenge, met with members of the KIFC Club for an insightful evening of connection and exchange. She highlighted that the strength of the Kigali International Financial Centre lies in its ecosystem of committed partners, with the KIFC Club, now comprising more than 60 members, playing a pivotal role in positioning Rwanda as a leading financial hub.

As a premier financial network, the KIFC Club offers its members exclusive access to Africa's growing financial community, opening doors to high-level connections, knowledge sharing, and cross-border partnerships.

View event photos: https://lnkd.in/dsPzv7M8

No need to pay an arm and a leg to work in finance in Luxembourg!

The Grand Duchy's latest expat regime makes working and living in the country even more attractive, both for experienced workers and those just starting out.

QFC's Data Protection Office has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the AIFC (Astana International Financial Centre) Data Protection Office. 🤝

This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to building strong international relationships between Data Protection Authorities. By fostering a global network, we can better support each other on matters ranging from individual cases to high-profile breaches.

At QFC, we remain dedicated to advancing robust data protection frameworks that safeguard trust, enable innovation, and strengthen cooperation across borders.

What a great event! 🤩 Our Venture Day as part of the Finance Summit | 18.09.2025 of the Boerse Stuttgart Group was a complete success 🎉

🥐 We started the day with the Female Founders Breakfast and great support from encourageventures e.V. (Petra Wörwag, Christine Rittner & Nina Stegmann), GIG7 Kompetenzzentrum FeMale Business and the AI xpress inspiring.

💬 This was followed by an exciting panel on the topic of "Financing Next Generation Mittelstand" by Johannes Heinloth (L-Bank), Dr. Tim Gegg (Mätch VC), Dr. Ulrich Thiem (Porsche Aktiengesellschaft) and Daniel B. (Bundeswehr Innovation Hub) as well as an impulse on the topic of "Venture Clienting: Best Practice for Innovation Capability" by Dominik Schütz (LBBW).

🚀 Our start-up pitches have impressively shown how forward-looking new business ideas can be and how much innovative power there is actually in the startup scene.

Talat Jashanica and Marie-Claire Schnur from HeyCarla and Laura Melissa Köhler from Sonora convinced the jury and won the BW Startup Award and the Female Founders Scholarship 🏆

But also the pitches of Biowerkz GmbH, mine&make GmbH, fara.ai, Opterra.ai, Raqcoon, PRELIQX, Validaitor and telmednet were impressive and our Expo start-ups were also able to present their innovative business ideas! 👏🏻

In addition to great ideas and exciting impulses, the Venture Day offered plenty of opportunities for networking and exchanging ideas with thought leaders from the fields of business, finance and technology. A real highlight for all those who want to help shape the future of the financial and startup world.

We were pleased to welcome representatives from the Indonesian Business Council (IBC) yesterday for a constructive discussion on strengthening UK–Indonesia ties across financial and related professional services.

Delegates from IBC, William Sabandar, Thomas Noto Suoneto and rebekka angelyn, contributed valuable insights to the discussion, which covered shared priorities including pensions, sovereign wealth funds, green transitions, ASEAN initiatives, and closer collaboration between industry and regulators.

We look forward to building on this dialogue with the business communities in Indonesia.

Learn more about our ASEAN Market Advisory Group and its work: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eVPqQFc5

At the Kenya Investment Forum in New York, held on the sidelines of UNGA 80, President William Ruto joined over 150 American companies to spotlight Kenya as the region's gateway to East and Central Africa.

He highlighted Kenya's strong fundamentals, easing inflation at 3.8%, a stabilized exchange rate, foreign reserves rising to USD 11.8 billion, and landmark U.S.-backed projects in energy and technology. Already home to 150+ American firms, Kenya continues to attract FDI, with textiles and apparel exports reaching USD 600 million.

Brenda Mbathi, CEO of TRIFIC SEZ, was in attendance, engaging with U.S. and Kenyan industry leaders as Kenya prepares to host the Kenya International Investment Conference (KIICO 2026) in Nairobi.

For TRIFIC SEZ, these reforms and opportunities reinforce our mission of positioning Kenya as Africa's hub for trade, finance, and innovation.